The reaction of amino compounds, particularly primary amino compounds, is well known in the art. A commercial example of products of such a reaction, in the case of primary diamines, is the series of polymeric polyamides known and marketed as NYLON.RTM.. By way of specific illustration, the product illustratively produced from hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid is known as NYLON 6,6. It is also known that lactones and spirodilactones, for some purposes, react in a manner similar to monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acid, respectively. One class of spirodilactones that functions as a diacid in certain reactions is the 1,6-dioxospiro[4.4]nonane-2,7-dione produced by Pariza et al, Synthetic Communications, Vol. 13 (3), 243-254 (1983).
More recently, the reactions of 1,6-dioxospiro[4.4]nonane-2,7-dione compounds and 4-ketoheptanedioic acid compounds with primary monoamines and primary diamines has been shown to result, under appropriate conditions, in the formation of heterocyclic compounds, monomeric and polymeric, respectively. For example, Wang, U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,251, shows the reaction of hydroxy-substituted primary amines such as p-aminophenol with 4-ketoheptanedioic acid compounds or 1,6-dioxoaspiro[4.4]nonane-2,7-dione compounds to produce a 1,6-di(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,6-diazaspiro[4.4]nonane-2,7-dione. These particular products, substituted spirodilactams, have substantial value as polymer precursors by virtue of the reactive hydroxyl groups of the hydroxylphenyl substituents.
The spirodilactams are, of course, heterocyclic compounds and compounds containing heterocyclic ring systems are known to have a number of additional uses which do not require the presence of additional reactive functional groups. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,283 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,884 describe a number of classes of heterocyclic compounds which have biological uses as plant growth regulators and herbicides, respectively. It is also known that heterocyclic compounds have utility as stabilizers for organic materials normally subject to degradation upon exposure to heat, light or oxygen. Benzothiazoles, particularly 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, are chemicals of commerce for such applications.
The class of 1,6-diaza [4.4] spirodilactams contains heterocyclic groups by the presence of the two lactam ring systems. It would be of advantage, however, to provide substituted spirodilactams of even greater heterocyclic functionality which are useful in biological, particularly agricultural, applications and as stabilizers.